Hitchcocks Forum

Are Royal Enfield likely to introduce any new bigger bikes to the UK?

Or perhaps something less utterly gutless and powerless? A 500 single does n't have to be so weedy, especially what is to all intents a new engine in the UCE. Enfield can't say its so low on power because its basically an 70 or 80 year old engine like the old pre-unit motor.

I have been riding around on a 54 700 Meteor recently which id basicly a Bullet frame with a 700 motor in it. It is a fantastic machine and would have been so simple for the Indians to copy. The design was all there, all they had to do was copy it and fit it to the existing Bullet frames. On the production line the frames would have been all the same, stick a 700 in this one, a 500 in the next, so bloody simple but they just couldn't see it.

I think a lot of it comes down to whether R.E. would achieve any significant additional sales, after the additional investment into a larger model was spent.

The vast majority of RE's sales are still in their home market and the current models are more than adequate for the roads in India. (I know from experience having hired Bullets in Goa on two occasions!).

Having said that, a nice 700 twin would be nice!!

A new 700 would be just that, a new 700.
The engine would have to be designed and built from the ground up, as per the UCE.
The old engine just would not pass the emission laws.
I am in agreement with an earlier post asking the question as to why the UCE is so poor.
A clean sheet was started with yet they still made the thing a pile of poo (quite an achievement really as you needed to go some way to make it so bad).

The Indian home market is growing rapidly as their economy burgeons. Production is at an all time high and a new factory is being built accordingly.
The infrastructure is being expanded and the new highways are allowing the new middle class to enjoy bigger, faster bikes. Triumph, Harley an BMW are all tapping into this market as are the Jap factories. R1's, Fireblades and 'busas are all for sale in India now. Make no mistake, Enfield want a slice of this and the new Continental GT535 will go on sale in 2013 and a twin will follow less than a year later. Enfield export sales are also at an all time high, and growing.
I'll be having one of the new GT535 next year and perhaps trade up to the twin when it is released.
Underestimate this company at your peril!

I have to confess that my gutless, powerless and poor UCE engine has been a pleasure to ride without problems for over 2000 miles now. It gets me up to and beyond 60 mph quite quickly enough when I need it and cruises quite happily in my comfort zone of 50 - 55mph on my local country roads. If RE did bring out a bigger bike with similar character I'd give it serious consideration. As it is, if I want a bigger bike the only option I'd now consider is a Bonneville T100 for the occasional trips when I need more power.